vampires

[Loa111]

Thanks Jim. I managed to hand the sample in embarrassment free  actually the staff were fun about it as I mentioned I felt a bit awkward handing it over.

Vampires visit went well today. Still UD. CD4 is down a bit 280 ish but I know that fluctuates as per often discussed on this forum. In fact the CD4 being a bit lower it does not bother me at all, as long as I'm UD, and all I can do anyway is take my daily pills.

Docs running a few extra test for my niggles, including the prostrate blood test which I am very happy to be getting. I've been peeing a lot recently, like a weak bladder, so they asked for a urine sample too to check for any infections. Might just be from me drinking more liquid than I remember, but good to get this checked.

I've had trouble sleeping recently, like waking up after an hours sleep & troubling getting back to sleep. I asked for sleeping pills, got a no for that request but they gave me a Melatonin script instead which is fair enough.

Also since it's been a year since the checked my cholesterol, they'll check that again & are putting me on the list for some sort of a 10 year heart check. Not sure what that is, but good to check anyway.

They at least 15 vials of blood today too, I think re all the extra tests, & also some extra of the research study they're doing currently.

Had a bit of a close call today too!!! I'm very private & extremely confidential about my poz status. I was sitting awaiting my blood draw, when I looked up & saw a guy I know walking in to hand medical implements to the nurse! I know he works in the lab. I don't think he noticed me, & I ducked my face behind the curtain & he was literally 2 feet on opposite side of curtain. I was praying the nurses, who I all know, would not turn around & speak to me whilst he was there. It would have been rather awkward for me  & it would not take a genius to figure out what health condition I have sitting in the ID clinic on this particular day of the week, especially when one is staff there. Who knows, he might be checking my labs for all I know & seeing my name on the computer. He went after a minute or two. It's just I could really do without this chap (or anyone else for that matter) knowing my status, as I see him around a lot where I live, we know several people in common & we have a casual chat always.

All in all a good vampire visit. Happy to get a few extra tests done. Now let's see does this Melatonin help me sleep tonight? 

[Jim Allen]

Thanks Jim. I managed to hand the sample in embarrassment free  actually the staff were fun about it as I mentioned I felt a bit awkward handing it over.

Vampires visit went well today. Still UD. CD4 is down a bit 280 ish but I know that fluctuates as per often discussed on this forum. In fact the CD4 being a bit lower it does not bother me at all, as long as I'm UD, and all I can do anyway is take my daily pills.

Docs running a few extra test for my niggles, including the prostrate blood test which I am very happy to be getting. I've been peeing a lot recently, like a weak bladder, so they asked for a urine sample too to check for any infections. Might just be from me drinking more liquid than I remember, but good to get this checked.

I've had trouble sleeping recently, like waking up after an hours sleep & troubling getting back to sleep. I asked for sleeping pills, got a no for that request but they gave me a Melatonin script instead which is fair enough.

Also since it's been a year since the checked my cholesterol, they'll check that again & are putting me on the list for some sort of a 10 year heart check. Not sure what that is, but good to check anyway.

They at least 15 vials of blood today too, I think re all the extra tests, & also some extra of the research study they're doing currently.

Had a bit of a close call today too!!! I'm very private & extremely confidential about my poz status. I was sitting awaiting my blood draw, when I looked up & saw a guy I know walking in to hand medical implements to the nurse! I know he works in the lab. I don't think he noticed me, & I ducked my face behind the curtain & he was literally 2 feet on opposite side of curtain. I was praying the nurses, who I all know, would not turn around & speak to me whilst he was there. It would have been rather awkward for me  & it would not take a genius to figure out what health condition I have sitting in the ID clinic on this particular day of the week, especially when one is staff there. Who knows, he might be checking my labs for all I know & seeing my name on the computer. He went after a minute or two. It's just I could really do without this chap (or anyone else for that matter) knowing my status, as I see him around a lot where I live, we know several people in common & we have a casual chat always.

All in all a good vampire visit. Happy to get a few extra tests done. Now let's see does this Melatonin help me sleep tonight? 

I have a few comments but it will have to wait until I am back at my laptop.

Hope the Melatonin helped you fall asleep last night.

Ended up missing my appointment this morning  Caelan's school bus was 25 mins late and after that, my morning fell apart.

The only good news was my free travel card was approved so I can travel on the bus/train for free soon.

[Loa111]

Hope the Melatonin helped you fall asleep last night.

Ended up missing my appointment this morning  Caelan's school bus was 25 mins late and after that, my morning fell apart.

The only good news was my free travel card was approved so I can travel on the bus/train for free soon.

Sorry to hear you'd a messy morning Jim & missed your appointment, that's a headache for sure, as we all know the ID clinic takes up a lot of the day just going there & waiting etc.

I think the Melatonin helped a bit last night, not perfect, but better than nothing. The Pharmacist told me it can take several days of consistently taking it for the full effect to work, so fingers crossed.

We'll at least you can go travelling now with your free bus pass! 

[Jim Allen]

Sorry to hear you'd a messy morning Jim & missed your appointment, that's a headache for sure, as we all know the ID clinic takes up a lot of the day just going there & waiting etc.

I think the Melatonin helped a bit last night, not perfect, but better than nothing. The Pharmacist told me it can take several days of consistently taking it for the full effect to work, so fingers crossed.

We'll at least you can go travelling now with your free bus pass! 

Glad to hear the Melatonin helped a bit. How are you getting on now its been a few nights?

We'll at least you can go travelling now with your free bus pass! 

Yup. Tested the card last week. I travelled free by train to Dublin and a 70 bus back. Checked, and its valid on trains throughout Ireland, so prehaps ill do a journey to Cork or Galway later this year for free

Sorry to hear you'd a messy morning Jim & missed your appointment, that's a headache for sure, as we all know the ID clinic takes up a lot of the day just going there & waiting etc.

Yeah, the new appointment is on the 20th of Oct.

[Loa111]

Glad to hear the Melatonin helped a bit. How are you getting on now its been a few nights?

Melatonin I suppose helps a bit, but nothing major, I still wake up a lot to pee. I'm actually stopping drinking tea in the evening & cutting out my decades habit of a glass or two of 7up near bedtime, so see if that can minimize the several pee's during the night.  Doc did take blood for a prostrate test on my recent clinic visit just to be sure.

Enjoy your travel card. Galway is a great place to visit & love walking out by the sea to Salthill. It's worth going for a day just to do that.

Good luck with your next appointment & let us know how it goes for you.

[Jim Allen]

Hmmm.

At the clinic today. So CD4 890 @38% and VL below 50

Happy days although will have some comments on the clinic visit later.

[Jim Allen]

Hmmm.

At the clinic today. So CD4 890 @38% and VL below 50

Happy days although will have some comments on the clinic visit later.

The clinic visit was fine, a very nice but new doc, one week into their three-month rotation.

All labs are fine. However, a repeat MRI had been booked regarding my neuropathy as they want to double-check they didn't miss anything... It makes no sense to me if I am honest, and they want to do vascular studies in six months.

[Loa111]

All labs are fine. However, a repeat MRI had been booked regarding my neuropathy as they want to double-check they didn't miss anything

Glad to hear your clinic visit went well. I remember you saying you had to reschedule it from a few weeks ago. That's a great CD4 level Jim, obviously it strengthened over your years on treatment. Curious as to what was your lowest CD4 level ever?

That's nice the medical team is being thorough & sending you for a repeat MRI, it's good to have things double-checked even though it means taking a day to go in & do it.

Is there a long wait over at James ID clinic for your usual appointment?

I notice too where I go, there's always new doctors doing the appointment, & then if I've a question on anything, the boss sticks his head in to say hello and give me an answer (which I'm most grateful for). I'm guessing this rotation of doctors are training up to be ID consultants?

 

[Jim Allen]

I notice too where I go, there's always new doctors doing the appointment, & then if I've a question on anything, the boss sticks his head in to say hello and give me an answer (which I'm most grateful for). I'm guessing this rotation of doctors are training up to be ID consultants?

There seem to be two groups, ones that have a three-month rotation, prehaps they are more junior doctors only getting an "Intro" on the different departments and then there is a group doing a year's rotation on the ID clinic.

Is there a long wait over at James ID clinic for your usual appointment?

I'm at the Mater Hospital, and waiting times are not too bad. I think I was waiting 20 mins or so.

That's a great CD4 level Jim, obviously it strengthened over your years on treatment. Curious as to what was your lowest CD4 level ever?

You can have them. I might have plenty of CD4s floating about, but they are truly lazy little fuckers 

My lowest two counts were within a week of each other,  I believe it was 72 (or74) and 28...However, I would have to check my notes to be 100% sure. 

[Jim Allen]

@Loa111

How is insomnia going? Any further improvements?

[Loa111]

How is insomnia going? Any further improvements?

The Melatonin seems to be helping a bit, it certainly makes sleepy. I'm working on cutting down night time liquid consumption to minimise getting up for pee's in the middle of the night. Think I'd just one pee last night about 230am. Bad habit of drinking 7up or Coke Zero in late evenings/night & peeing does not help insomina.

Lol..yes please send me a few CD4s, I'm still stuck around 300 ish! Developing a case of CD4 envy! 

[Jim Allen]

The Melatonin seems to be helping a bit, it certainly makes sleepy. I'm working on cutting down night time liquid consumption to minimise getting up for pee's in the middle of the night. Think I'd just one pee last night about 230am. Bad habit of drinking 7up or Coke Zero in late evenings/night & peeing does not help insomina.

Glad to hear it's helping somewhat.

Cutting down on the coke zero late evenings might help as it still contains caffeine; I know you can get the 2L bottles of zero Sugar Caffeine Free Coke at Tesco and Supervalu.  Tesco has them on offer, two bottles for 4 euros.

[leatherman]

Coke

just like Beetlejuice, "Coke" has been uttered 3 times, so here I am. 


My sleep has always been f-ed up since just before I turned 30. Thirty years later, I've just come to accept and expect that somehow <=6 hrs. a night (and never multiple nights in a row) is somehow fine. It hasn't killed me yet. If I really want to sleep though I've been known to take half a Benadryl because it zonks me out. 

Larry and I go to the doctor on the 3rd for bloodwork and updating the doc on both of us having covid and me having whatever the hell that was I had a week ago.

[leatherman]

ouch!
A week ago the clinic called and asked us to change our appointment since our doctor would be out of the office. We really love and respect this doctor but this date-change thing happens a lot as he often travels as a speaker. Then the office called again the day before yesterday to say the doc still wouldn't be in but we could see one of the other clinic physicians if we wanted. Well, I didn't want to wait any longer for a flu and a covid booster so we went yesterday.

Although it wasn't just that easy. Our clinic has 4 locations and is currently remodeling the one we normally go to, so we had a different trip up to CLT. it was still an hour drive to get there, so this location wasn't any closer.

Since our last appointment, we both had covid - and so had this doctor. LOL Even though I'm still not certain of the cause, this doctor suggested that my "mystery illness" of a few weeks ago was mostly likely a viral GI infection or food toxin. He took the view of food toxin more though as he claimed to have had a similar situation himself a few years ago. Whatever caused it, as long as it doesn't happen again, I'll be happy.

So we had blood drawn and maybe today we'll start to get lab work back. In the meantime, my arm HURTS! Not the flu shot (those never bother me) but that damned covid booster. The first shot never bothered me; but each subsequent booster has left my arm hurting more and more the day afterwards and a little more.

[Loa111]

ouch!
Not the flu shot (those never bother me) but that damned covid booster. The first shot never bothered me; but each subsequent booster has left my arm hurting more and more the day afterwards and a little more.

Hope you feel better soon Mikie! Your timing is the same as mine, as I'd my Covid Booster yesterday too, which is my 4th shot. My arms feels a bit tender too & I feel like I've a slight cold today too, guessing it's a side effect. So perhaps some paracetamol for both of us & a good excuse to take it easy for a day or so.
I'm in for my flu shot on Tuesday, that usually leaves me a bit under the weather too, so let's see!

[leatherman]

you know what else I forgot to bitch about? The wait. We sat in the waiting room longer than ever. We sat in the exam room longer than ever. (We, Larry and I, "share" two appointments and see the doctor together. No hiding any health issues when your spouse is in the same room as you. LOL) After a total wait of and hour and 15 mins, we had been discussing just leaving and were starting to stand right as the doctor knocked and entered the room.  But we did get all our shots and labs done, even though we had to fight back through 5 o'clock traffic in the "big city". (LOL After Cleveland and Charlotte, I must say living in a city >10k is a lot quieter and the traffic is a LOT easier and that's why we don't live in CLT now.)

Don't get me wrong. Even though this wasn't our regular doctor (who actually isn't an MD but an HIV Specialist), this was one of the clinic's MD's and he's a good guy and good doctor. It's just that we really don't have many health issues, so we rarely see the Physicians in the clinic but just our guy (whose acronyms are MHS, PA-C, AAHIVS, DFAAPA instead of MD. LOL)

ok, now covid shots. This was our 4th booster. Just like the previous 2 shots, we didn't have any side-effects - until the sore arms the next day. I took 8 extra strength tylenol throughout the day and that really helped. Unfortunately about 24 hrs after the booster, I felt "weird". Sort of like I did before I get hit by all the vertigo and barfing a few weeks ago. But I took it easy and feel fine now.

It's sooo hard for me to "take it easy" most days  but now with the new pupper  (3 mos. old now.) and sooooo many acorns and leaves I need to get raked up out back  , it just killed me to sit around all day yesterday. So I'm better today, no lab results in yet, and about to go hit the gym (and the tanning booth!) before tackling all that yard work.

Don't rush it if you're not feeling well yet (that's partially why I was sick a couple seats ago. Not realizing my own limitations) but hopefully you'll perk up soon!!

[LeftyBowler300]

Vampires yesterday (19th).
CD4 379 17.9%
VL < 20
CBC/Metabolic looked good
The only “meh” was an LDL of 116. I guess Ben & Jerry has to go 

[Jim Allen]

Vampires yesterday (19th).
CD4 379 17.9%
VL < 20
CBC/Metabolic looked good
The only “meh” was an LDL of 116. I guess Ben & Jerry has to go 

 

[Loa111]

Had my latest Vampires appointment today. It's every 4 months these days.

I live less than 20 minutes from the clinic so I always make a bit of an occasion out of a visit so had a lovely breakfast of sausages, bacon, eggs etc & cappuccino in a cafe near by before heading in for my 11.45 am appointment. For some reason the waiting room was not so busy today, so I hardly had to wait 15 minutes before ID doctor called me in.

All good thankfully, VL is undetectable. CD4 around 360 where it seems to hover these days. Cholesterol is ok.

More good news in that they ran a prostrate blood test on me and the result came back as 1 which is well within the normal range.

These days I do not even hone on the the exact figures for my usual blood tests, once I hear UD, I am happy and understand that all I can do anyway is take my pills daily, & aim to stay healthy as I can. 

Gave my bloods, a new blood tech who forgot to get one of the samples off me so I had to be jabbed twice. Had a bit of fun banter & chit chat with the usual nurses who are there years.

Got my meds from clinic pharmacy, off home. It was quite an uneventful routine clinic visit which is a very good thing! 

Back in mid-May for my next appointment.

[leatherman]

Sorry you had to get stabbed twice; but your numbers are good, you feel good, and the next appointment isn't for months.

from the clinic so I always make a bit of an occasion out of a visit

back in 93, when the AIDS was killing me and the meds sucked, I started the practice of treating myself after every doctor/lab visit. Back in those days, my treat was always a bag of candy (I LOVE candy and go through phases of what I like the best at any given time) and a computer magazine. OMG! I just realized that I'm talking about a time when people barely even knew there was an internet. (All Hail AOL and their floppy discs!).

These days, I'm old enough and aren't so poor that I buy candy when I want it (all the time) and I haven't touched a computer magazine in years. (do they even still print magazines?) My big treat to myself now is simply to not have to cook dinner that night, since it's about 45 miles to our doctors office and we have to drive home during afternoon rush hour traffic in CLT. So we either go out for Mexican and Margaritas or we go by a drive-in restaurant in my old neighborhood for their delicious fried fish and the BEST tartar sauce in the world.

In the early days, the treat after the doctor visit was the incentive to even care about my treatment and health (those was bad, bad days). These days, the treat is a great reminder that I'm alive and life is good!

[Loa111]

I started the practice of treating myself after every doctor/lab visit. 

and a computer magazine.

 I haven't touched a computer magazine in years. (do they even still print magazines?) These days, the treat is a great reminder that I'm alive and life is good!

Yes I think it's a very good idea to build in a treat around our ID Clinic visits. Let's face it, generally it's a fairly boring task, go there, sit for a long time, wait, maybe an hour or more if bust, see doc, wait more for bloods & pharma, & of course get stabbed. So why not make it a more "fun" event?  With my treat usually a big breakfast before or a lunch after depending on the appointment time, & a couple of coffees, it actually causes me to look forward to the clinic visit. 

Oh yes I remember those computer magazines. I used to get them as a teenager. There'd also be a program you could type into your computer in BASIC (the old programming language) for a game or something, so I'd spend hours typing it in & it would never ever work due to a bug! lol.

I used to love buying magazines on my favourite hobbies etc and the good news is there's still plenty available however I find magazines these days kind of water down versions with lite articles and with mostly ads in them, compared to magazines back in their hey day.